On constructive advice please. I love my cats but I'm about to lose it.
Answer:
Jack: Pooping out of the box can be for a number of reasons - one can be to mark territory, has anything changed in the house? New people, new anything? Another is the boxes - often what used to suit, no longer does.
You need a minimum of one box per cat, and ideally one more than that. Meaning 3 cats need 3 boxes, and preferably 4. And are they as clean as you think? Sometimes too cats get picker. The boxes need to be scooped faithfully twice a day - every day. In many cases a cat will pee in what they feel is a dirty box, but not poo as that requires digging. And it could be a health issue.
A constipated cat will often poo out of the box. Is he fed all dry food? As cats get older, that often means that the long term effects of dry food begin showing up, and constipation is a result. Feed him canned, or at minimum one canned meal a day.
If you try all of that - an appropriate number of boxes, scooped at least twice a day, and a canned food diet - then he needs a vet visit. Some cat disorders like hyperthyroidism will cause a cat to go out of the box.
Elaine: Go to any of the Dollar Stores and buy a $1 shower curtain and lay that over the bed.
What's probably being smelled is the organics from the other poop still embedded in the sheet fibers, not all of that will come out in the wash. If it smells like poop they figure it's ok to poop there.
Have you used new fabric softener sheets? Those can smell like poop to them.
Anonymous: Is he stressed? Has anything changed in your household? Cats are VERY sensitive to change and they thrive on routine, they are also very territorial. If nothing has changed in your house, an extreme behavioural change like urinating / defecating outside litter box can be due to a medical issue so it might be a good idea to ask a vet
